Clutch controlling device



April 9, 1935. A. H. WILSQN 1,997,444

CLUTCH CONTROLLING DEVICE File-d July 2, 1934 2 SeetS-Shee 1 ,BJ IKW 544, 6% 7%@ April 9, 1935. A. H. WILSON CLUTCH CONTROLLING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 2, 1934 Pun,

???)UZHZLQ- ndlff. Zz/Zow gi, Samar w ,w w T M w c l 5 n m @M @m 5 mw 9u T .w 1MM/ W .my F T a Q 3 3, m o m M5 5 VU /M E v N mn B W 0 am w, M6 ww e 5 m\ m Q m m n flossen Patented pr.` i9; 19354 f CLUTCH :ooNrRoLmivG omen t poration of Illinois This invention relates `to Aolutch eontrollingl devices designed chiefly` for useV on buildingl ma# terialhoists, although capable of useful app1i' cation in .othersituatons :employingzelutches for-` 5 applying and releasing Vmotivepower toand from,-

parts to be driven, the invention llaving'-refer#l ence more `partimllarly to lclutch Vcontrol-softhat:`

type 'wherein the `clutclfi is engaged by automaticM l mechanism manually trippedinto action frlemainsu` y engagedl through va predetermined i :cyclegfand at*l thefend of `the cycle", is automatically disengaged and locked in disengaged positionunt` again* tripped in. i Inthe preferred form of the 'iiivene tion hereinafter described and shown in .tlnean--fV nexed drawings the` clutch control is doublefaet-I ing;l that is, it'controls a pair of movable olutclif members that are 'alternately vengaged. to drive 'la shaft` or hoisting drum first in onerdirection and' then in the'. reverse direction, .the control mech-j anism `at the end of` each zovele leaving both clutches in neutral or disengaged position. l An important :feature of the invention resides vinni means incorporated in the control mechanism by Whichxthe time period through which theY clutch.`

remains active may be varied as desired lor/re-- quired, so as, for. example in the 'ease of hoisting"V mechanism, to .raise lthe bucket Vvor cage through one,` two, three' or more stories in height, and."

then'automatically disengage the Aclutch andar-11 y rest further'upward travel of.fthe1oad. Innits `most complete form the controll mechanism also. includes `a means :for automatically applyinga bra-ke when the clutch is disengagedand releasing `the brake when the :clutch iis engaged, .and also a imotorcontrol 4. whereby when t1fie.el1itcliu is disengaged and" thev brake applied the` motor;`

is throttled down, and when the clutohis engagedand the brake released the; motor throttle opened. i i A building material' hoist of the typeto which the present improvement may beappliedis dis closed `in my `former Letters Patent No. 1,621,700.,H

March 22, 1927. In 'the saidv patent the Y type., the device of the present invention e1-imi#` nale the strikers, 'Control cablearld buttonsfas` a means, for disengaging the iclntches when `the.` 'i Cages .have raisedto; thefpoint of.'rleliventgifV clutches,

and preventsaeoidental overthrow of the clutch suchV as occasionallyoccurs in highspeed .operation when emplo ing thecontrol cable and striker Y Silupment, L

` practical embodiment ofthe principle oi" .theinvention is illustrated the `accompanying 1 `Figfl `is a Vfront elevatiozn with the covervmerfn showing the parts a vposition corresponding tof the neutral' or disengaged position offboth ais a wanen sectionion the une 2 1 `l V`Fi,g..:3 is afview Fig. llfbut showing the" positionl ofgtliepartswhen the .clutch for 'rotating the .hoisting cwbledrumin one 'direction'. Y

has? been engaged.

sfig; 411s 'n vview? similar rotating the drumiin beenfengaged.

5 is aperspeotive viewof one .ofa pair of dividedloodily adjustable nuts Yemployed in the device. 4 i. f

. Figi 6 isaxdiagrammatic view of the rockfshaftj crank andV cams, A*showing a lposition of tlieparts corresponding to Figpl, 'Y Y.

Fig.` 'l is Aa. similar view of the same parts, showngxa position of the parts Acorresponding 1,D.Fig.3.` IAV i y I is a lsimla.rz:v.ievv goflthe sameparts,` showing `aposition of. theV parts' oorrespond'ing Referring to the drawingsgasupporting :framefor the moving parts othe device is shown as a box or casing comprisin'gabdy section l0 and a cover l ll.' .Thebody seetiniand eoverare pro-v tures to receive: machine `sorevvs' I8 by whichlthe frame may'besecuredrtoethe .frame of a hoisting i machine; asindicatedin Fig.'2.i'i

`berofithle. supporting frame or casing'removed, i y

fdl-'Figi 1, but showing" ithefpositionrof theparts when the clutch `for` the `reverse' direction chas' videdatzfsutable points/with registering aper- V.The body iI-isnformed `with 'a bearing bosswl f in :which is journaled 'the hub 150i a periplfierally slotted crankdiscftlsaid hub being keyed to a rock'shat `lll, :the other zend of isa-id rock-shaft being `jnurmled in any nsuitable support f (not shownk `Journaled in antiefriction 'thrust bearings I8 in and `crosswise y"of .the supporting frame and .at `right angles to the sam shaftfll isgasscrew '19', and on v this soi-ew` 19 are a pairoftraveling nuts 20a`nd` 4 20'; nach of these nutons best snownin Fig. 5 is medecin mating fl'-la'l`ves -2| and l2? formed with` top f and Jlzaottoml v` lugs 23 Sand 'M -1 pertured -to reare forked, as shown in Fig. 72 and straddlertheV hceivejnriachine screws or bolts (Fig. l) by which I.the two sections of the nut are clamped together vonthe screw. On the back of section 2| is a lug 26 that travels in a guide groove 21 on the back wall of the supporting frame to hold the nut against rotation, and it will be observed from Fig. 2 that there is sufficient clearance between the lug `26 andthe'bottom of the groove 21 to permitthe section 2| of the nut toi clear the screw when adjusting the nut to a new position on the screw. Y' By reason of this construction the two of travel of each nut before it,v acts tov disengage a clutch, as hereinafter explainedf' j 28 and 28 designate a pair of levers pivotally suspended at 29 andV 29 from the back wall of the frame. vThe lower free endsof these/levers' screw I9, said'forked ends being preferabl'yl formed with cheeks 39 and 131)',Y `to.giveilinecontact Y the ends of the nuts. 1 i

VIn theorank disc |3 `are mountedabout degrees apart a pair of crank pins 3|, and.piv0ted tothe levers 28 vand'28..'at'.'3-2 are "a .pairnf .links 33 .and 33', the inner ends of which are formed. with slots 36 providing lost-motion:pivotal..con-

' Vnecuion with thecrank pins 3| .V f

Cil

Y and areformedwith caminclines 39.V 0n; theV outward swing of each lever under the thrust of i one ofthe nuts, the "lower roundedend of 'the` .The two `levers 28, 28 .are Yconnected preferably: below the links 33, v33 yby a pullfspring'35;

lSlidably mounted in vertical sockets36 and 352 in the frame below the screw |9 are a ,pair vofflocking pins 31, 31.?, the .upper ends of whichnormally project inthe paths of the lower ends of the L levers V23, 28' 4undertheupward urgefof springs 38 lever cams. down and .passes 'slightlybeyond the looking pin, whereupon the latter snaps upwardlyl to locking position, asshown .at ftheright in'Fig.` l. The pins 31, 31 are manuallyretracted by Velbow levers 40 andv 40 engagedwith the pins as l Describing the operation in connection4 with the 1 Y i thereon, in addition to the crank'disc' I6, aclutch.

Va camf'notch 5S.

Y shiftable clutch members (which are thrown in by. the shoulders 5L and 52 actingonfollowers 514 75 Y and 58)` Vare disengaged or foutunder thelaction 43 engaged and driven by a miter pinion 44 ffast' on a shaft 45 which, in practcefmay be the drum shaft of the hoisting machine,,functionallysim-zv ilar to the drum shaftr28 ofmy aforesaid patent,

or a shaft geared thereto;` Y i V'`Opernficm Y diagrammatioviews, Figs. 6,V '7 and; 8, the` rock-V shaftl I1; which correspondsifunctionally'tofthe' rock-shaft 51 of my aforesaid patent,- has fast throw-,in cam disc 50for'med with two cam shoulf ders. 5| and` 52 about 75 degrees, apart; a brake'- release cam disc 53 formedwitha cam notch 54, and a throttlefopening cam disc 55 formed with In-the positions illustrated in Figs. l and 6, the travelling nut 20 has just forced 1ever`28 past locking pin31'1and this at the end of Aa load hoisting operation,.has shifted the camV rock-shaft 1 and thecams thereon to the neutral position shown in Figg, in Awhich both of the and: opens the .motor throttle.

at whichthe material isY of clutch throw-out springsV (not shown), the drum brake has been applied by a spring (not shown) by reason of a follower 59 on a brakerelease arm dropping into the notch 54, and the motor throttle has been closed by a spring (not shown) by reason of a follower 6D on a throttleopening arm dropping into the notch 55. To start the next loaded cage upwardly, the operator pulls the cord 4|, which releases the lever-'128, :and the spring 35 instantly shifts the parts tothe posifKV tions shown in Figs.V 3 and 7, it being understood that the` turning movement of rock-shaft |1 is limited bysuitablestops to abouty 75 degrees from its central orneutral position. This, as shown in Figf?, throws in one clutchmember which drives the 'hoisting drum in one direction, the other clutch member remaining out, releases the brake, As the loaded cage is hoisted, the screw I9 is rotated in a direction to feed the nut 20 to the left viewing Fig. 3, and as soon aslnut .Zlstrikes lever 28.it gradually forcesthe latter outwardlyV past the locking VpinV 31, at the end of which movement'the previously engaged clutch is disengaged, the brake is applied,

Vthe throttle is closed, and thefparts are-returned to thev neutral positionsshown in Figs. l and 6,`

except that `the two nuts are then located on the leftend portion'of4 the screw. [When the loadedV cage hasrbeen emptied and the companion cage on the ground has been loaded,jthe operato'rpulls cord4| which retracts locking pin 31" and, under the pull of spring l35, the parts instantly take `the positions shown in Figs.v 4 andS. This,

as Yshown in Fig. 8, Ythrows in the' otherV clutch member, which drives the hoisting drum-in the reverse direction, the rst-operated clutch member remaining out, releasesthe brake, and'opens the motor throttle.V Asthe second loaded cage is hoisted, the screw"|9 is rotatedV ina direction to feed the nut 2llfto the rightviewiiig Figfl, and

as soon as thenut 20 strikes lever 23 it gradually forces the latter outwardly past the lockingpin 31', at the .end of which movement the second clutch is disengaged, the brake vis. appliedfthe throttle is closed, and the parts arereturned to" the neutral positions shown in Figs. 1 ands.

Y VIt will `be' seen that the length` and'tim'e Vof travel ofthe leverlyactuating nut in :each-cycle determines the heightv to which .the loadis raised. Hence, by bodily adjusting thek nutsi closer to` gether or fartherapart, the length' ofA travel of they cagesmay be increased or decreased, as the building conditions may require. ItV will! alsobeobf served that as each lever reaches' its outermost position under .the push of .one of the nuts it automatically re-engages itself with itsllocking pin, soV that it remains fixed in positionagainst the pull'ofspring 35 untilagain released by the* retractionV of the locking pin.

This inventionV may be ydeveloped 'withinA :the scope of the following claims without departing from its essentialfeatures, and the specification and drawings are to be read as merely illustrativer an operating.connection'from said levertosaid shaft, an actuating spring 'for 'said'leven said screwand nut operating saidlever againstfthel urge .ofsaid spring, Va manually retractible lock for holding' said lever against movementl by said spring, and means for rotating said screw alternately in opposite directions. Y

2. In a clutch controlling device, the combination of a frame, a clutchcontrolling shaft, a screw journaled in said frame at right angles to said shaft, a non-rotatable traveling nut on said screw, a lever pivoted at one end on saidframe with its other end extending across the path'of said nut, an operating connectionfrom said lever to said shaft, a pull spring for said lever, said screw and nutoperating said lever against the pull of said spring, a manually-retractible lock for holding said ,lever against movement bysaid spring, and

means for rotating said screw alternately in opposite directions. j Y

`3. Ina clutch controlling device, the combination of a frame, a clutch-controlling rock-shaft, a screw journaled in said frame at right angles to said rock-shaft, a pair of non-rotatable traveling nuts on said screw, a pair of levers pivoted at one end on said frame on opposite sides respectively of said rock-shaft with their other ends extending across the paths of said nuts, operating i connections from said levers to said rock-shaft, a

pull spring connecting said levers and urging them toward each other, said screw and nuts operating saidlevers against the pull of said spring, manu-V 'ally retractiblel locksA for holding said levers against movement by said spring, and means for nections to said crank disc.

of claimB, whereinvsaidlevers are suspended at their `upper ends-on said frame and their lower Y ends are forked to straddle said screw.`

7. A specific embodiment of the subject-matter of claim 3, wherein-saidlocks are spring-actuated to locking position in the paths of said levers and are cammed outwardly by said levers under the thrustof said nuts on said levers. 8. A specific embodiment of the subject-matte of claim 3, wherein said locks are spring-actuated to locking position in the paths of said levers and are formed with cams engaged by the free ends of said levers to retract them under the thrust of said nutsonsaid levers. l

9. A specic embodiment of the subjectfmatter of claim,3, wherein the operating connections from the levers to the rock-shaft consist of a crank Y. disc fast on the rock-shaft and links pivoted to the levers and having lost-motion pivotal con- 10. In a clutch controlling device, the combination of a frame, a clutch-controlling rockshaft journaled in said frame, a screw journaled in `said frame below and at right angles to said rock-shaft, a pair of non-rotatable traveling nuts bodily adjustable to` VdifferentV distances apart on said screw,

a pair of levers pivotally suspended at their upper ends on said frameon opposite sides respectively of said rock-shaft, said levers having forked lower ends straddling said screw, a crankdisc fast on said rock-shaft, links connecting said levers and crank disc, a pull spring connecting said levers,`

saidscrew andnuts operating said leversalter-V nately` against the pull of saidspring, manually retractible spring-actuated locks normally holding said levers against movement by said spring, means for camming said locks vout of the paths of said levers on the outward movement of the latter, and means forrotating saidscrew alternately in opposite directions. l.

ALEXANDER, H. WILSON. 

